The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) coordinates and administers the Missouri Highway/Rail Crossing Safety Program. The overall purpose of the safety program is to improve highway/rail grade crossings throughout the state.

Highway/rail crossing
safety projects are primarily funded using Federal “Section
130” funds ($5.9 million/year) and Grade Crossing Safety Account
state funds ($1.2 million/year). The source of the Federal “Section
130” funds is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Surface Transportation Program safety funds. This $5.9 million is
approximately one-half of the 10 percent of STP funds that must
be spent on construction safety projects under Title 23 U.S.C.
Section 130. This fund has remained at $5.9 million since 2005.

The Grade Crossing Safety
Account is a state fund supported by persons registering vehicles
in Missouri. Section 389.612, RSMO allows for each motor vehicle
registration or renewal to be assessed 25 cents. The Federal “Section
130” funds and the GCSA funds can be spent on public
crossings only. There are approximately 4,000 public highway/rail
crossings and 3,000 private roadway/rail crossings in the state
of Missouri. Approximately 43% of these crossings in Missouri are equipped with active warning devices (lights and/or
gates).

Each public crossing is annually prioritized using a systematic method to determine its approximate ranking. The ranking (also known as the Exposure Index) allows MoDOT to focus limited funds in the area of the highest priority concerns. The exposure index takes into account the train traffic, train speed, vehicle traffic, vehicle speed, sight distance, and accident history. Highway/rail crossing safety projects may include installing lights, gates, signs, and/or pavement markings, or a crossing may be closed. The average cost of a highway/rail crossing safety project is $200,000.00. Approximately 30 – 40 projects are done per year.

Since the implementation of the Missouri Highway/Rail Crossing Safety Program in 1976:

Collisions have been reduced by 81 percent,

Fatalities have been reduced by 76 percent, and

Injuries have been reduced by 83 percent.

Role of a Rail Safety Inspector: The job of a safety inspector is to ascertain compliance with state and federal laws, regulations, rules and standards and to conduct and report on accident and complaint investigations. The inspector writes a report of findings and seeks correction of unsafe conditions The demands of these jobs require skill in evaluation, fact-finding, report writing and comprehension and application of technical regulatory standards.